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Sometimes we get asked about the night nurse-baby relationship. We’re not the child’s (children’s) mother, so what exactly are we doing? Will the child grow closer with us than the real mom/dad?
In short answer: no. We are really just here as a way to get the new parents some sleep and hopefully reduce some of the stress. We care for your new family by providing export support with feeding, initiating and keeping a schedule, swaddling & soothing, breastfeeding support, preparing bottles, bottle & breast pump cleaning, parent education and keeping the nursery tidy. (We can also do some of these things before the baby arrives.)
That’s the night nurse-baby relationship. We’re just there to help the parents. There will be some degree of attachment with the newborn, of course — but that’s a good thing. Many children end up very close with a secondary caretaker, and that doesn’t take anything away from the mom-baby or dad-baby relationship. It’s just a way to feel like one thing is somewhat taken off your plate.
With the Nightingales by your side, not only do you get restful nights, you get our knowledge and experience every step of the way transforming your experience the first few months as a family. Whether this is your first baby or third, you’re a mom with a busy schedule, or a full-time professional, getting a good night’s sleep can make all the difference.
There’s some more on newborn attachment theory here, including how babies attach to both their biological parents and any additional caretakers. But if one of your potential concerns about hiring an overnight baby nurse is the potential for a night nurse-baby relationship to supercede your own relationship with your child in any way, put that in the back of your mind. It doesn’t happen. We’re just here to be a helpful value-add.
